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<title>I’m Not afraid of the dark, I’m afraid of what’s in the dark by Obsidian_Bandit</title>
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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25892053">I’m Not afraid of the dark, I’m afraid of what’s in the dark</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Obsidian_Bandit/pseuds/Obsidian_Bandit'>Obsidian_Bandit</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, DICE Member Oma Kokichi, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Established Relationship, Fear, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Kokichi is scared of the dark, M/M, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Shuichi is here to help, kind of</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 11:13:59</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,155</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25892053</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Obsidian_Bandit/pseuds/Obsidian_Bandit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Kokichi Ouma, leader of D.I.C.E. and lover of Shuichi Saihara, was terrified of the dark. He hated how he couldn’t see if someone was coming to get him, or if his beloved Saihara-Chan was being attacked. It was in the dark that he’d accidentally allowed one of his subordinates to get beaten nearly to death. So now, with the power out, all he could do was curl up in the corner of his room, whimpering pitifully, hoping that the power comes back soon so he could regain some self dignity.</p><p>Kokichi is scared of the dark, but Shuichi is there to help him.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Minor or Background Relationship(s), Oma Kokichi/Saihara Shuichi</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>183</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>I’m Not afraid of the dark, I’m afraid of what’s in the dark</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I think I wrote this a long time ago, but after a bit of editing I found it was a decent story. And a way to shamelessly write more Oumasai hurt/comfort.</p><p>Enjoy!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Kokichi Ouma, leader of D.I.C.E. and lover of Shuichi Saihara, was terrified of the dark. He hated how he couldn’t see if someone was coming to get him, or if his beloved Saihara-Chan was being attacked. It was in the dark that he’d accidentally allowed one of his subordinates to get beaten nearly to death. So now, with the power out, all he could do was curl up in the corner of his room, whimpering pitifully, hoping that the power comes back soon so he could regain some self dignity.</p><p>“Hey Kichi, are you in here?” Shuichi was standing in the doorway of his room, and before he truly realized what he was doing, Kokichi had lept from where he was cowering in the corner to cling desperately to his detective. “K-Kichi?”</p><p>Kokichi merely whimpered in reply, wrapping his arms around Shuichi’s waist even tighter. He knew what he was doing was pathetic, how could he not know? But he also knew that above all else, Shuichi wouldn’t blame him for his fears and for his sadness like others had in the past, Shuichi would stay by his side even when Kokichi was utterly pathetic as he was now. Shuichi wouldn’t shy from the truth, wouldn’t try to push him back into his own lies.</p><p>They stayed like that for what felt like forever, and yet at the same time not long enough for Kokichi, before Shuichi finally managed to push the smaller boy away just enough to be able to look him in the eye. Kokichi whimpered slightly at the loss of contact, but didn’t fight back to much as he knew Shuichi only wished to help the purple haired dictator.</p><p>“What’s wrong, Kichi?” Shuichi asked softly, voice sweet and smooth like honey, immediately melting him into comfort.</p><p>“I…” Kokichi trailed off, suddenly finding the floor very interesting. He hated admitting he was afraid of anything, much less something as trivial and utterly infantile as the dark.</p><p>“Can you please tell me what’s bothering you?”</p><p>“I-it’s nothing, d-don’t worry Shumai!”</p><p>“I know you’re not alright Kichi. As much as I wish it was a normal thing for you to hug me so tightly, you don’t usually just jump into my arms like that, without saying anything at all. You always have <em> some </em>sort of snarky, yet endearing, comment.”</p><p>“Sorry…”</p><p>“Don’t apologize, I’m not mad. I just want to help you feel okay, okay?”</p><p>Kokichi nodded, taking a deep breath in and out before he felt the words spill from his mouth in a barely coherent jumble, “I’m just really afraid of the dark but I don’t wanna bother you because I know you have your own things going on and I know you don’t need to deal with me as well and it’s really pathetic that an ultimate supreme leader like me is afraid of the dark but I am and I’m really terrified Shuichi because above all I feel like I can’t protect you or D.I.C.E. as long as it’s dark and I’m just <em> scared </em>.”</p><p>By the end of his small speech Kokichi was panting, and Shuichi merely smiled softly, pulling Kokichi into another hug, this one softer and more intimate then the first.</p><p>“You don’t have to always be the strong one,” Shuichi began, rubbing Kokichi’s back softly as he spoke. “I know you feel like you have to carry D.I.C.E. and me on your shoulders alone, but we’re all still capable of caring for ourselves. Sure, it’s nice to know you’re there, but some days you need us to just <em> be there </em> for you. You are <em> allowed </em> to be afraid, you are <em> allowed </em>to not be strong 24/7, and we’ll all be okay with that. In fact, that part of you just makes you even better, it makes you more human.”</p><p>Stunned to silence, Kokichi buried his face in Shuichi’s neck, tears flowing down his face. Eventually he managed to speak in a small whisper, “thank you. Can we just… lay down for a while?”</p><p>Shuichi happily obliged, practically scooping Kokichi up and placing him on the bed, quickly following suit and making sure they were comfortable under the covers. They laid facing each, Shuichi’s arms protectively wrapped around the smaller boy’s frame, both smiling happily. </p><p>Though Kokichi was still terrified of the dark, in that moment he felt just a tiny bit safer, and somehow that was all he really needed. To feel just a tiny bit safer. To feel just a little more like the truth was an acceptable thing. To feel a little less like a lie.</p><p>They both fell into a calming sleep by the sounds of each other’s breathing and heartbeats, filled with dreams of happy smiles and childlike laughter.</p><p>———</p><p>The next morning Kokichi woke up in the exact same position he’d fallen asleep in, except now the sun shined through the small slits between the blinds, making him smile happily. It was no longer completely dark.</p><p>“Good morning,” Shuichi softly cooed, carding a hand through dark purple hair seemingly subconsciously. “Did you sleep alright?”</p><p>“Mhmm.” Kokichi mumbled, burying his head into Shuichi’s chest and slipping back into sleep.</p><p>“You can’t fall back asleep, we have to meet up with Nagito and Hinata in 20 minutes for our double date.” Shuichi shook him awake again, slipping out from under the covers as Kokichi grumbled in annoyance, still getting out of the bed and joining the detective all the same.</p><p>Kokichi left to get ready for their double date with the mess that was Nagito and Hinata, and Shuichi stayed back for a bit, grabbing a notepad and pen and making a note to grab some flashlights and batteries. As much as he did enjoy Kokichi hugging him and them cuddling, he hated seeing his lover scared, and he would do anything to keep him from going into that state again.</p><p>After the two got completely ready and began walking out the door to go to their double date, Shuichi took Kokichi’s hand in his own and kissed his knuckles lightly.</p><p>“Are sure you’re all good?” He asked kindly, in that sweet honey voice that Kokichi loved so dearly.</p><p>“Shumai is such a worry-wart! You know that’s not good for your complexion, I can’t be going around with an ugly boyfriend, now can I?” Kokichi spoke as if he truly meant what he said, but Shuichi saw past all of the walls, as he always did, and found the grape boy was okay. Maybe still a bit scared, but okay.</p><p>“I love you.” Shuichi replied, smiling softly.</p><p>“I love you too.” Kokichi smiled back brightly, standing on the tips of his toes and quickly pecking Shuichi’s lips.</p><p>~~~~</p><p>And from that day forward Shuichi always had at least three flashlights in the house with a good stock of batteries in case the power decided to go out again</p>
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